Richard Ellis Talks

Richard Ellis: I want to talk to you today about whether what you're doing is going to make a hill of beans difference in a thousand years, if anybody will give a rip who you are, what you did, how much money you made, or how much influence you had. Will your life really count, or will you be one of the countless lives that pass through humanity?

Guest (Male): You're listening to Richard Ellis Talks with Richard Ellis. We're so grateful you tuned into the program. Richard wants to share with you some encouragement, words of hope, and probably a laugh or two. In today's complicated, busy life, that's exactly what's needed. Richard's talks are always straight from the Bible, filled with truth.

Now, you may not be able to hang out with us for the entire program, but you can always pick it back up at our website, richardellis.com. In fact, you can find all of Richard's talks right there waiting just for you. So, with today's talk, here's Richard Ellis.

Richard Ellis: I'm going to tell you a story about a guy who was in his early 30s. This is a war of a different kind. This guy was fighting the right way, he was doing the right thing, and he spoke out. He didn't shoot anybody; he spoke out and said something that got him arrested. He became a prisoner of war, basically. One day, for doing the right thing and saying the right thing, they put him in jail. The guy who had had him arrested had a big birthday party.

At this birthday party, one of the wives had a daughter, and this daughter came out and danced for the birthday party. The guy who had had him arrested was so impressed and so overwhelmed, he said, "I'll give you anything you want, up to half of my kingdom." The girl had quite a blank check, so she went and talked to her mom. Her mother said, "Tell him that you want the head of the guy who spoke out against us on a platter."

This prisoner of war was in his cell, not knowing what was going to happen. He was in his early 30s, not married. A birthday party was going on, and all of a sudden, the executioner showed up at his cell. He was beheaded, his head was put on a platter, and they marched into this big birthday party and handed it to the girl. She took this platter over and gave it to her mother. It was a gruesome, horrible, almost terrorist feel. What's up with this? Who is this guy?

Some of you will pick it up immediately. The phrase "having your head on a platter" comes out of the Bible. Turn to Matthew 14. I want to talk to you today about whether your life is going to be a countless life or a life that counts. Is what you're doing going to make a hill of beans difference in a thousand years? Will anybody give a rip who you are, what you did, how much money you made, or how much influence you had? Will your life really count, or will you be one of the countless lives that pass through humanity?

Matthew 14, verse one says, "At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, 'This is John the Baptist.'" He heard about this Jesus guy doing stuff and thought it was John the baptizer. John was known that way because he went out in the wilderness and baptized all these people. Herod said, "He is risen from the dead and therefore these powers are at work in him." King Herod was terrified that this Jesus guy was John the Baptist come back from the dead to haunt him.

Herod had laid hold of John, bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." This King Herod had taken his brother's wife and the relationship was wrong. John spoke out against that. It made her mad and she had John arrested for saying something that was true. He was arrested for speaking out.

Verse five says, "And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude because they counted him as a prophet." But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Therefore, he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Having been prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter now."

I don't even know how you ask for that. There are things going on today completely out of your control. You may not be locked up in a cell on the verge of being beheaded, but there are things going on where the enemy, the guy who runs this world, is weaving his web. It is your boss, your job, and people who work around you. There is stuff where it sounds like there is some kind of conspiracy. You better bet there is.

The book says the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. That's his plan for your life. Jesus said, "I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly." You have to pick a plan. But even if you pick the right plan, you could get your head taken off. Where is God in all this? God allowed it. Why? I don't know. He was a young, 30-year-old guy who turned out to be Jesus' cousin.

If you go back and read about when Mary got pregnant with Jesus, she walked into the house of Elizabeth, her cousin. The Bible says that the baby leaped within her womb. John the Baptist jumped in Elizabeth's womb because Mary walked in with the Son of God in the flesh inside her womb. Something happened. This isn't about abortion, but that is one of the many reasons why abortion is wrong. It is killing a person. Jesus was God in the flesh when that seed was planted in that womb as much as he was when he came out of that womb.

In the Old Testament, it was prophesied that John the Baptist would come. He was chosen and named before he was born. The angel showed up to Zechariah, his father, and said he was going to name the kid John. When he was born, his mother wanted to name him something else, but Zechariah said his name was John. Zechariah had lost his voice and could not speak until the kid was born. When he said his name was John, his voice came back. It was a miracle.

John was chosen and doing the right thing, yet he got his head taken off and served on a platter because of a girl's dance for her mother. Where is God in all this? Why would I give my life to God? Why would I trust him and yield all control? Even if they take my head off, I have nowhere else to go and I won't go back. Why is it better to do that even if it costs you everything?

If you don't, you will achieve whatever it is you are trying to achieve, but you will get to the finish line and have lived a countless life if it's not counting for him. I don't know what God is going to take, but I know what he's given. He's given me his own Son. No matter what he takes, there's no way I'm going to be out-given. Even if I lose everything, I've still got everything. I've got a God who's given his own Son.

The king was sorry, but because of the oaths and those who sat with him, he commanded the head to be given to her. He had John beheaded in prison and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl. Then his disciples came, took away the body, buried it, and went and told Jesus. People want to know where Jesus is when their head is being taken off. When Jesus found out about this, he went away into a place by himself.

It's not that Jesus doesn't hurt or that these things don't hurt God. It's not that Jesus didn't care, but sometimes God's plan overrides and supersedes even what we think is best. John the Baptist could have done a ton of different things. If he had lived to 70 or 80, why did he have to die? I don't have an answer for that, but I promise you somebody does, and I trust him.

Jesus could have raised John the Baptist from the dead and put his head back on his body. Why didn't he do that? There's a reason. You have to get to a place where you say you are going to trust God or you're not. You have to let him do with your life what he wants to. What does it profit you if you gain the whole world and lose your life? If you owned everything when you died, what would it matter? Solomon, one of the richest guys who ever lived, said at the end of his life that all is vanity. It's like chasing the wind. It's nothing in comparison to knowing him.

John chapter one says that the next day John stood with two of his disciples. Looking at Jesus as he walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus. John was doing the right thing and proclaiming that Jesus was coming. The second he opened his mouth, the people following him left to follow Jesus. This guy was getting pummeled.

In Matthew 11, it says that when Jesus finished commanding his 12 disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach. When John heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples to say, "Are you the coming one, or do we look for another?" John got discouraged. He was in jail, and it didn't make a lick of sense. He was the guy prophesied to prepare the way for the Messiah, yet he was stuck in jail and could be executed at any second.

He asked Jesus, "If you're such a Messiah and you're going to deliver us, why am I in jail? Are you the one we're looking for, or have we missed it?" Have you ever felt that way? If God is God and this thing is so great, why is your life so miserable or upside down? Why are you having financial, emotional, or family struggles? When things are soaring, we feel okay whether he shows up or not. But when it all starts to fall apart, we ask where he is.

When your home or your business is falling apart or your family is sick, you might sit in the cell of your heart and think you'd better take your life back because you're going to lose it. You have to make a decision either to take it back and do it your way or trust him. Job said, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him." Where are you going to go if you don't trust him? What are you going to go back to? You can't fix it. The old way didn't work.

Jesus answered John's disciples and said, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see." Sometimes you need to hear what someone else is hearing and seeing. This is why we take time to pray. Last Sunday, someone might have been up, and this Sunday they are down. They need to hear someone else say that we are going to make it. You might not see what God is doing, but when you hear what he's doing in someone else's life, it helps you hold on. If it can happen to them, it can happen to you.

Jesus told them, "The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them." Go tell John that all that stuff he said was coming is happening. Jesus said, "And blessed is he who is not offended because of me." As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John. I think Jesus knew John was about to be gone.

What would Jesus say at your funeral if he were asked to speak? If he were to do the eulogy, what would he say about you? Would he stand and weep because he knew you'd missed eternity? A lot of people are banking on living a long life, but you never factor in being beheaded. What if today were your last day? If you're a Christian, would he say that he knew you, but you did things your way and missed the life he had for you?

Jesus said to the multitudes concerning John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.' Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist."

Jesus said that among those born of women, they don't get any better than John. No matter what happens in your life, it does not change the way God sees you or feels about you. He loves you. In Christ, he accepts you as perfect. Apart from Christ, you have nothing, but with Christ, you have everything you'll ever need. For all I know, I could never see you again. I could walk out this door, have a heart attack, and be in heaven.

The question is, is this day counting? How do you make your life count? If you knew that by midnight you would be in heaven, what could you do today to make your life count? What would make God happy? If you don't have an answer to that question, then you're not sure whether any day counts. What is keeping you from making this day count? What are you holding on to that could cost you your last day?

We don't want to think about this because we think we have plenty of time. But this is your life. If you don't make today count, tomorrow is not going to be any different. Don't wait until all hell breaks loose and a crisis hits before you get on your knees. Be wise enough to say you'll do it now so you don't lose this day. What would it take to make today count, one day at a time?

In Second Timothy 4, the apostle Paul is close to the end of his life. He says, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." He talks about the fight, the finish, and the faith. Are you fighting the good fight, or have you just given up? Are you tired of waiting and messing with it?

Some of you started the race and you fell, and you won't get up. You were running just fine and everything was working, but you made a mistake and now you're stuck. Get up and finish the race, and don't do it by yourself. When everything is great, you don't think you need anybody. But when you crash, you'd better pray some crew comes by to help pick you up. Part of the responsibility of the church is to watch each other.

If we see someone is down, we should care enough to ask how we can help. I'll pray for you or have lunch with you because it could be me next time. I have fought the fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. Don't give up on the faith. Keep believing and don't go back. Make your life count.

Guest (Male): Before Richard comes back to wrap things for us today, I'd like to share a couple of important things with you. Let me encourage you to take a minute and check out our website, richardellis.com. You'll find today's talk right there in the talks page along with all of Richard's audio and video messages. You can even forward them to a friend so they can hear them too.

You'll also find the prayer wall to add your prayer requests, a link so you can connect with us, the contribute page for you to be able to give to this ministry, all of our social media links, and much more. Richard is back now to wrap up today's talk.

Richard Ellis: There was another casualty in the war that John the Baptist was in, and it was Jesus himself. It cost him everything to get us everything. Don't miss it. If this were your last day and you didn't know him, that would be the worst thing that could happen to you. You say, "How do you know whether you know God or not?" You know. If the God of the universe lives in you, you know it. If he doesn't, you probably feel empty.

If you don't know him, say, "Enough is enough." It's not just that my life isn't going to count; I'm going to miss eternity with you, and I'm not going to let that happen. Whatever is keeping your life from counting today, deal with it. It's as simple as sitting in an auditorium saying a simple prayer and saying, "God, enough is enough. I'm back."

Guest (Male): Thanks for tuning in today to Richard Ellis Talks. We all have busy schedules these days, so it means the world to us that you would take this time to listen. Richard would love to know how today's talk has touched your heart, so give us a call at 855-6-RICHARD. You can also share your story with us at our website, richardellis.com.

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